A nervous Tony Blair continued endorsing US policy, after his humiliation at the Earth Summit, but first he bragged of local ‘successes, changes and achievements’ through private finance investment in his constituency “but great challenges lie ahead.”

Blair insists Iraq is a real threat to the World and he will produce a (hurried) dossier in a matter of weeks which proves Saddam is continuing to TRY and develop nuclear weapons. He did not say there was any evidence that Iraq currently has nuclear capability but still, “we have to deal with it.”

“UN resolutions are there for a purpose and we cannot allow them to be breached” - but this only seems to apply to Iraq and not Israel who also defies the UN. Blair says, the situation in Palestine is a separate issue, where there is a “peace process.”

He said; I sense that people think the decisions have been made (in respect to Iraq) but we are in constant dialogue with USA. “Why not go to UN?” asked a reporter. Blair replied; “It is an important thing that we don’t use the UN to avoid dealing with the problems of the World” but promised the fullest debate in Parliament and elsewhere.

“Without further provocation, is action justified under International Law?” - came a pertinent question and Blair’s response was that doing nothing is not an option – but it will be in line with International Law – and he is working on “timelines.” He reminded us that Saddam tortures and executes his opponents, his is a brutal regime with chemical and biological weapons, who does not live peaceably with his neighbours and which needs to be changed. For a moment I thought he was talking about America.

Blair will make the case to gain public support which is 70% against war, when he produces what evidence he has, claiming; “at some point they were trying to develop weapons of mass destruction - I believe there is some evidence Iraq will acquire them if they possibly can. - When we announce it people will make up their mind.” He seemed confident that the majority would back him, when the time comes... which sounds ominous to me.

When asked if we will become a target if we follow Bush, he said it was still the right thing to do and much of the opposition to the US is Anti-Americanism – The UK and US must face the threat together, it’s our duty according to Blair, and Saddam can no longer be contained. He omitted that Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz says Baghdad is ready to work with the UN to resolve the crisis and offered to allow weapons inspectors to return.

Blair only reiterated Cheney’s mantra on how they were messed about, so that is no assurance and Iraq has been a problem for ten years, but he failed to mention that it’s facilities, infrastructure and army have been bombed for the same period and the people half-starved by sanctions. However, despite being a father of four, Blair is prepared to accept innocent civilian casualties. That’s war!

He said, “External forces of aggression distract from what is going in their country.” Baghdad is not presently at war with anyone, except it’s own citizens and the same could be said of practically every government especially in the US and UK, but they alone have the ‘moral right’ to impose ‘regime change’ and attack all countries who have threatened to use or try to obtain weapons of mass destruction, excluding Israel of course, who has a huge arsenal and at liberty to deploy it, with impunity.